


Date Night

by Dawn_twilight



Series: Summer Writing Project The Sentinel [9]
Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Episode: s01e09 Attraction, Gen, Jim's POV, Missing Scene, Summer Writing Project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 06:55:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7034515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_twilight/pseuds/Dawn_twilight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It occurred to me that something wasn’t right, even at the bar that night, but apparently I wasn’t using the right head to think with and it took Blair getting into my face to realize I had reverted back to a horny teenager.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Night

"Is that what you’re wearing?" Blair asked as I came down the steps, stopping mid stride to look down at my black jeans and green pullover shirt.

"What’s wrong with it?" I grabbed my work shoes and Blair rolled his eyes, picking his hair out with a funny shaped comb. I gave him the once over, you know, just to see what he thinks is a hot look to go trolling for women. He’s got on jeans and a blue button up shirt…so what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?

"This is going to be so much fun, man." He’s practically bouncing around the living room, struggling with the clasp of one of his bracelets.

"Let me." He moved forward, wrist extended, holding the ends together. It took me a couple of tries to get the clasp over the little fish hook that held the sting of gold together. I tapped him on the head as he grabbed my hand and pointed out my stubby nails.

"Have you been biting them again?"

"No, mother." But we both know it wasn’t true. The robbery case we’ve been working on was making me nuts and this new…whatever it might be…was making me crazy.

"Okay. Ready?" He grabbed up his keys and headed to the door, but I reached out to snag his arm. 

"I’ll drive."

He doesn’t say anything and I’m glad. I’m not of fan of Sandburg’s car or his driving for that matter. We fight about it. But what can I say, I like being in control behind the wheel. 

He hoped in and I turned my new truck toward the bars on Wilson. The area is working class, the patrons average joes, just like us. Blair is suddenly quiet and I wonder what he was thinking. I wonder what the hell I was thinking letting him talk me into going out. 

A black pickup pulled out of a parking space a few down from the entrance and I pulled easily into the spot. The outside of the bar was well lit, the front wall was painted a dark green and over sized pool balls were painted into a rack with two pool cues crisscrossed at the end of the mural. 

The interior is much darker, a few people sat up at the bar, but Blair moved through the crowd to find a booth near the dance floor and the johns. He tossed off his coat, pulling his wallet and shoving it into his back pocket. "You want a beer or something else?"

"Whatever’s on tap." He pushed through the people milling near the dance floor, a light techno beat pounded in time with the few couples on the square tiled floor toward the back of the bar.

I slid into the booth, facing the door so I could see people coming and going. Blair came back with a glass in one hand and a bottle in the other. "Here, man." His eyes scanned the room, before scooting into the booth across from me, raising the neck of the bottle to his lips. "Want to play a round of pool?"

A table opened up as we watched. "Sure…you any good?"

He didn’t answer, not really. One eyebrow rose and he shot me a weird look.

He racked the balls and I broke them. We played for a bit and Blair wasn’t half bad. I realized that my game had improved, zeroing in on the ball and its location, but I pulled my eyesight back, not wanting to beat him with an unfair advantage.

_I want to beat him the old fashion way_. 

A little later I looked up at a subtle change in my roommate. I couldn’t really tell what was different, but I followed his gaze to two women getting up on bar stools and ordering drinks. They were dressed in shear tops and tight jeans, hair loose and flowing around petite shoulders, but they were young, maybe a little too young, for me anyway.

Blair dropped his cue and gave me a grin. "Be right back, man."

Next thing I knew, we’re ensconced in the booth, engaging in awkward small talk. The blonde babbled on and on the brunette giggled over everything Blair said. After twenty minutes, I had had enough and stood up.

Blair shot me a weird look, but I moved away toward the bar before he could ask me what was wrong. I could hear him making some kind of excuse and his footfalls following behind me. "Where are you going, man? What's the problem?"

"You didn't have to pounce on the first two girls who smiled at you here."

"Come on, Jim. That's the way it's done, you know. You just got to hit it, you know." 

"Sandburg, I'm just not really good at this kind of stuff, you know." Dating never really was my thing. Plus it had been awhile since I even had to worry about it.

He was going on and on about just relaxing and going with it…why did I listen to Sandburg anyway. I should have learned my lesson with my first and last date with the lovely Dr. Price. Turned out she was a little interested in me, but I think it was only because Blair apparently chatted her up about me during the whole time they spent together at the Natural History Museum. 

_I shouldn’t have come out tonight._

Someone bumped my shoulder and I turned to see a pretty redhead, "Excuse me." 

She smiled over her shoulder, sidling up to the bar, pale smooth legs crossing at the knee.

"What is the matter with you? I swear to God, if you don't go over there, I will."

"Huh?"

He pushed me, actually pushed me toward the bar. "Oh, Jim, hurry up, hurry up. You're about to get snaked. Go, go, go, go." With a final shove, I moved toward her, a bit surprised when she turned to speak to me like we’ve know each other all our lives.

There was something about her, something familiar, but I didn’t know at the time what it could be.

We talked, drank and played a few games of pool. I wasn’t too surprised when Blair came over a short time later, the two girls waiting near the door, the brunette, Cindy holding his jacket. "I’m out of here. Catch ya in the morning, man."

_I just wish I knew then what I know now._

Pheromones.

_What am I, a dog?_

By the end of the week I knew…even during the most incredible sex I’ve ever had I knew…

It occurred to me that something wasn’t right, even at the bar that night, but apparently I wasn’t using the right head to think with and it took Blair getting into my face to realize I had reverted back to a horny teenager.

"You ready, man?”

He’s sitting at the dining table, tying his sneakers. "Where to tonight, Chief.?"

I grabbed my jacket, waiting for him by the door. This was our fifth date night in the past month. We’d taken Cindy and Sharon out to dinner and then a movie and sometimes we just go do something on our own, although that’s definitely not a date.

"Drive in over at the Cina Plex. Oh, and I want to pick up a few things we’ll need for our trip after we take the girls home…maybe we can check out the new diner over on 3rd and North. Everyone on campus is raving about the burgers and milkshakes." He stopped by the door, pulling on his coat, patting his pockets.

I held up his ring, jangling the keys. "Here ya go, Chief."

He grabbed them, tossing them in his hand for a few seconds before putting them in the basket by the door. "Nah…you drive, man."

I was halfway to the girl’s apartment before I figured out why he wanted me to drive. 

Drive in theater plus big comfy back seat.

_What can I say? I’m learning the laws of attraction from the real master._

"So this resort we’re going to this weekend…"

“I didn’t say resort, Jim."

"Whatever, it’s not like some new age guru kinda thing, is it?" 

*`*`*

The End


End file.
